Theater.



PATE-NTED FEB. 12, 1907.

H. HELBIG.

THEATER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 1a, 190

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

THE NuRRls PETERS co., WASHINGTON, p c.

PATENTED FEB- 12, 1907.

H. HELBIG.

THEATER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.13', 1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- & 11L 11:: 4:1: 1!!

0., wAsHm'OIcN, u. c.,

HENRY HELBIG, OF MUNICH, GERMANY.

TH EATER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 12, 1907.

Application filed August 13,1906. Serial No] 330,418.

To (ZZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY HELBIG, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Munich, Bavaria, Germany, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Theaters and 1 do hereby declare the follow ing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to the novel arrangement of the auditorium of a theater, circus, or other like buildings, as hereinafter set forth.

In order to render the present specification easily intelligible, reference is had to the accompanying drawings, showing a preferred embodiment of the invention, in which similar letters of reference denote similar parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the building, taken along the central line. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan on the line A B of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a similar plan on the line C 1) of Fig. 1.

The exterior wall 61 of the building is of the usual cylindrical or similar shape in plan view, and within this wall is built the vault or domed structure which forms and supports the several galleries. The first gallery, containing the dress-circle I, is advantageously at the largest diameter of the vault, the second gallery II extending over and beyond the said dress-circle and the uppermost gallery 111 being closest to the stage, the proscenium-wall a b of which cuts the vault vertically. The top of the domed structure is or may be cut off at the gallery-line, leaving a central open top, and a passage 6, Fig. 1, may be formed around the same above the-proscenium. The galleries are advantageously constructed so as to form projecting balconies between and in front of the pillars and binding-arches, as indicated at c.

The skeleton or frame of the vault, in which the galleries are built, is formed by pillars and binding-arches, serving to support the superposed galleries. Any suitable number of these may be provided. This arrangement permits the construction of overlying galleries which increase in depth toward the top, the front edge of the upper galleries being at a considerable distance from the vertical wall d, so that the galleries, and particularly the upper ones, will have considerable depth and will be capable of accommodating a seating capacity than heretofore in the galleries of a theater, broad flights of widening stairs with intermediate terrace-like landings m, Z, 7c, and h, which communicate, by means of exits,-with the corridors G G in the rear of the galleries, are arranged on the exterior of the building to enable the exceptionallyrapid emptying of all parts of the auditorium without the liability of a panic occurring, since thereby the crowding of people and consequent danger through smoke or flames in case of fire are absolutely prevented.

'l he interior staircases f also communicate with the galleries and the staircases 0 with the uppermost gallery.

Instead of a single floor for the stalls a double stall-floor may be arranged. Thus the upper floor E may be carried forward beyond the center of the vault and may cover several rows of the lower floor P and also the boxes L, formed in the rear of the lower floor. Other boxes L are also arranged around the vertical wall forming the continuation of the lower part of the vault or domed structure, as indicated. 'Ihus considerably more seating capacity will be obtained on the floor of the house. The Royal or Presidential box F L may be formed at the head of the upper floor E, extending upwardly to the under side .of the gallery 11.

Behind the upper stall-floor and the galleries passages G G having a large number of doors, are formed between the walls d and d in the usual manner. The lower passage G declines along the edge of the upper stallfloor from the center toward both sides of the stage.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. An auditorium for theaters and the like, comprising an outer inelosing wall, a plurality of galleries extendin inwardly above and beyond each other, wit inwardly-converglng pillars supporting the galleries and formgig binding-arches of a vault over the stalloor.

2. An auditorium for theaters and the like, comprisin an outer inclosing wall, a plurality of ga leries extending inwardly above and beyond each other, with inwardly-converging pillars supporting the galleries and forming binding-arches of a vault over the stall-floor, such vault being cut vertically at one side bythe proscenium-walls.

3. An auditorium for theaters and the like, comprisin an outer inclosing wall, a plurality of ga leries extending inwardly above and beyond each other, wlth inwardly curving and converging pillars supporting the galleries and forming binding-arches of a vault over the stall-floor, such vault having a domed top with a central opening bounded by the uppermost gallery and a passage op posite the same.

4. An auditorium fortheaters and the like,

comprising an outer inclosing wall, a plurality of galleries extending inwardly above and beyond each other, with inwardly curving and converging pillars supporting the galleries and forming binding-arches of a vault over the stall-floor, such vault being cut vertically at one side by the proscenium-walls and having adomed top with a central opening bounded by the uppermost gallery and a passage opposite the same above the proscenium.

5. An auditorium for theaters and the like, comprising a vertical inclosing wall, a plurality of galleries extending therefrom inwardly above and beyond each other, with inwardly curving and converging pillars supporting the galleries and forming the binding-arches of a vault, a main stall floor arrangedwithin the vault, and a second stall-floor projecting from the inclosing wall above the main stallfloor to a point beyond the lower gallery, the vault cut vertically at one side by the proscenium-walls and having a domed top With a central opening bounded by the uppermost gallery and a passage above the proscenlum.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiiX my signature in the presence of two witnesses. HENRY I-IELBIG. Witnesses: v

ULYSSES J. BYWATER, LOUIS F. MUELLER. 

